Support the bike cut throughs on the 44th Street Bicycle Boulevard

Sometimes, you have to fight for every inch. DDOT has proposed adding a pair of bike cut-throughs on 44th Street NW in Friendship Heights. They would add on to the diverter at 44th and Harrison, NW and another to 43rd and Jennifer. Currently, the diverters serve as barriers to prevent cars from driving through (as seen in image below) and the cut-throughs would be designed to allow cyclists to continue, while continuing to block car traffic.

DDOT has proposed making 44th Street into a Bicycle Boulevard between Western and Van Ness, and these cut-throughs are part of that program. At a recent ANC3E meeting, this was discussed and supported by a 4-0-1 vote.

Some nearby residents contended that providing cutthroughs would allow cars to drive over the diverters. Some neighbors also expressed concerns for allowing the bike lane on 44th Street. Other residents spoke in support of both the cut-throughs and the bike lane.

Commissioner Bender, in whose district the diverter lies, proposed adding only one cutthrough as a compromise. He noted that there would be only one bike lane to connect to in any event, and that the second cut-through would require cyclists to cross a lane of vehicular traffic perpendicular to the cut-through.

A discussion took place on whether to support one cut-through or two on the diverter at 44th and Harrison. Commissioner Quinn moved to vote on a resolution to allow for 2 cutthroughs and the bike lane. The resolution passed 4-0-1 with Commissioner Bender abstaining.

The project also has the support of CM Cheh who wrote to Director Dormsjo:

I am writing to voice my support for the proposed bike lane on the 5200 block of 44th St. NW, that it will continue south on 44th St., and for the addition of two cuts to the traffic diverters at 44th and Harrison St. NW to allow for cyclists to continue north or south on 44th St. without diversions. I would also like to voice my support for the cuts in the diverters at 43rd and Jenifer St. NW as these also would permit bicycle traffic to flow along this street. A bike lane and modifications to the traffic diverters would allow residents greater access to the Friendship Heights commercial corridor and better access to downtown. This proposal was unanimously supported by ANC 3E on April 8th, 2015.

Nonetheless, DDOT has responded to the loudest critics by holding yet another meeting on this issue. That meeting is tonight at 6:30PM at 44th and Harrison Streets NW. Please consider showing up to let DDOT know that you support adding 2 cuts to each of the traffic diverters in Friendship Heights.

If you cannot attend, a nice note to DDOT Director leif.dormsjo@dc.gov expressing your support could only be helpful.

DDOT has proposed making 44th Street into a Bicycle Boulevard between Western and Van Ness,

Move DC shows a planned bike lane on 49th St. Nothing for 44th. I think 44th makes better sense as it connects close to FH and to better routes on into Mont Co.

I used 44th quite a bit when I worked in the area. Its easy to ride around the diverter by using the sidewalk but a cut through should really be made for bicycles.

I don't understand the comment that there will only be one bike lane. Is it that there isn't room for a lane on each side of the street? Are they thinking of making yet another suicide bike lane where cyclists are expected to ride head-on at each other???

It's a good idea. I've often biked the parallel route of Military Road, and been honked at more times than I care to recall. The irony is that the timing of the lights is such that any car that I "held up" would have to stop for a red light in any event.

A problem with nearly all the side streets in this area of town (e.g., 44th St) is that they were laid out to have just enough width to allow parking, on both sides of the street, and cars pass only by slowing and yielding some of the middle of the road.

So any bike lane is going to be sort of notational - cars will use it when they have. And the bike lane will be firmly in the kill zone of car doors.

When I ride home via the friendship heights whole foods I will sometimes turn onto Jennifer (other times wait until Ingomar): Last week I actually saw a driver on the east side of the barrier drive up ONTO THE SIDEWALK to get around onto the west side via a driveway cut....never saw that before (it was rush hour too)

If DDOT won't build the curb cuts here, it's not terribly hard to improvise some. Some scrap wood can be assembled into a staircase arrangement that's easier to ride up onto, for instance. A more permanent ramp could be poured, although I'd recommend a pipe to let stormwater channel underneath.